Seal-lock.



PATENTED MAR. 31, 190s No. 883,638. v I

' L. 1,. HAMILTON.

.SEAL LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 30, 1907 I/ I I l v an'uentoz Lewis I fiamilfaii;

LEWIS I. HAMILTON, OF NEW MADRID, MISSOURI.

SEAL-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Application filed November 30, 1907. Serial No. 404,526.

To all whom it mayv concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwrs I. IIAMLLTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Madrid, in the county of New Madrid and State ofMissouri, have invented'new and usefullmprovements in Seal-Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car door seal locks, the ob'ect of theinvention being to provide a loc and seal especially designed for use inconnection with the sliding doors of box or freight cars whereby thedoor is automatically locked when closed and the lock protected by aseal so as to plainly indicate Whether or not the lock has been tamperedwith.

V\ ith the above general object in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :--Figure 1 is an elevation of a lock andlatch embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom edge View ofthe same. Fi 3 is a sectional view of the lock with t e adjacent facelate of the casing removed, showing the atch in engagement with thelock. Fig. 4 is a cross section through the lock taken on the line 44.of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail edge view of the lock case, illustratingthe construction of the threaded boss whereby the removal of the seal isfacilitated. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of the key. Fig. 7 is asectional edge view of the key.

The lock com rises a suitable lock case having an exten ed base plate 1by means of which the lock is adapted to be secured to the door frame ofa box car. In addition to the marginal flanges 2 of the lock case, thelatter is provided with a removable face plate 3 so that access may behad to the internal parts of the latter, the face plate 3 being held bysuitable fasteners 4. One of the marginal flanges 2 is provided with anopening. 5 through which the latch 6 is adapted to pass, said latchbeing provided with a hole 7 by means of which it may be pivotallyconnected to a slidin car door. The latch 6 is also provided with abeveled end or nose 8 and a bolt engaging shoulder 9 adjacent thereto.10 designates a uide flange for the latch 6 and beneath whic the latchrides when it enters the lock case as shown in Fig. 3.

The bolt 11 is mounted to slide between spindle and boss.

suitable guides 12 within the lock case and is upheld or urged towardthe latch 6 by means of a coiled spring 13 seated in a recess 14 at thebottom of the lock case as shown in Fig. 3. l

The latch 11 is further provided with a notch 15 having an abru t side16 which is at ri ht angles to the lengt of the pawl against whichoperates an arm or projection 17 on the spindle 18 whereby the spindlewhen turned is adapted to throw the pawl 11 downward out of engagementwith the latch 6.

The face plate 3 is provided with an in wardly extending sleeve 19 inwhich the spindle 18 is 'ournaled and said face plate is also providedwith an outwardly extending exteriorly threaded boss 20 throu 'h whichthe spindle 18 passes. The spind e is provided in its extremity with anotch or slot 21 and the boss 20 is also provided with a corres ondingnotch 22 with which the notch or s 0t 21- is adapted to register for apurpose which will hereinafter appear.

23 designates a screw cap which is mounted on the threaded boss 20 andremovable therefrom for the purpose of inserting a lead seal 24 betweenthe outer end of the boss 20 and the end of the cap 23 as shown inFig. 1. The thread which connects the boss 20 and the cap 23 ispreferably quite coarse so that when said cap is screwed inward on theboss, the disk which is interposed between said parts is mashed andcaused to engage and interlock with the notched portions of the When,therefore, the screw cap 23 is turned off to get access to the operativearts of the locking mechanism, the seal wi l incidentally be manipulatedso as to plainly indicate that the lock mechanism has been tamperedwith.

The cap 23 is provided at its outer end with a flange or rim 25 which isnotched and shouldered as indicated in Fig. 1, the shoulder 26 thereofbeing adapted to be engaged by the lug 27 of a key 28 used for removingthe screw ca 23 said key embodying an enlarged circuiiir head 29 havinga circular recess 30 adapted to receive the outer portion of the screwcap 23, the lug 27 projecting into the recess 30 so asto engage one orthe other of the shoulders 26 of the cap. At

its under end the handle portion of the key is provided'with aprojecting point which is adapted to be inserted in the notches 21 and22 above described for the purpose of prying outthe lead seal 24 afterthe screw cap has been removed in the manner above referred In unlockinga car door, the cap23 is removed with the aid of the key 28; The seal 24is then pried out of place by means of the point 3 1. The key 28 is thenturned with the point 31 thereof in engagement with the notch 21 in thespindle 18, thereby turning said spindle and causing the projection 17thereon to throw the bolt 11 away from. the latch thus releasing thelatch and allowing the same to be withdrawn from the lock casin Iclaim 1. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a bolt movable intoand out of engagement with the latch, a bolt throwing spindle, and aseal retaining cap engaging said spindle.

2. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a spring pressed boltmovable into and out of engagement with the latch, a bolt throwingspindle, and a seal retaining cap for said spindle.

3. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a bolt movable into and outof engagement with the latch, a bolt throwing spindle provided with anotch or slot in the end thereof,

and a seal retaining cap inclosing said spindle. 4:. A car door seallock comprising a latch,

a bolt movable into and out of engagement with the latch, a boltthrowing spindle, a

compressible seal, and a screw cap for compressing the seal,substantially as described. 5. A car door seal lock comprising a latch,

a bolt movable into and out of engagement with the latch, a lock caseembodying a threaded boss, a bolt throwing spindle journaled in saidboss, and a cap threaded on said boss and. adapted to compress the sealagainst the boss.

6. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a bolt movable into and outof engagement with the latch, a bolt throwing spindle, and a sealretaining screw cap having a key engaging shoulder, substantially asdescribed. 7. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a bolt movableinto and out of engagement with the latch, a bolt throwing spindle, aseal retaining shouldered cap, and a key for removing said cap providedwith a lug for engaging the shoulder on said cap.

8. A car door seal lock comprising a latch, a bolt movable into and outof engagement with the latch, a notched or slotted bolt throwingspindle, a seal retaining screw cap fitting over the spindle, and a keyhaving a cap engaging portion and a spindle engaging portion whereby thecap may be removed and the spindle turned, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS I. HAMILTON. Witnesses:

W, L. MEIER, O. O. HAMILTON.

